Secret Nemesis | Aether x Reader

V

After a few good hours of relaxing on the cliff with Aether and Paimon, the two of you went down on your way to the bustling city. People around you going about their business, you could suddenly feel a shiver down your spine. Head turning immediately to look at the area around you, you noticed a man staring at you.

The two of you made eye contact and at the moment, you could feel your blood turn cold. Those eyes that you had looked at were far too familiar.

“Sorry,” you said out of nowhere to Aether and Paimon. “I have to go do something right now. Where should we meet up?”

“Is everything alright?” Aether asked you, curious as to why you had said that you needed to do something out of the blue. 

“Yea,” you nodded. “Don’t worry.”

“We can meet up at the Knights of Favonius Headquarters in Mondstadt,” Aether replied as he walked towards the teleport waypoint. “I need to ask the Acting Grandmaster about something. You can ask for one of the citizens of the city to lead you to the headquarters if you don’t know where to go.”

Waving your hand, you started to walk to where the man was, “Ok. See you later.”

“See you later,” Paimon waved back.

Soon enough, the three of you went on your own ways as you closed your eyes to feel the aura of the man you had made eye contact with. Eyes opening once again, you targeted the man and ran towards the corner of a house along the street. Turning to that corner, you were met by a tall purple and black being.

“Lady y/n,” the electro abyss lector announced out loud in its crackling voice. “The princess demands you to meet with her.”

Its hand outstretched, it summoned a mirror-like portal and from there, none other than the leader of the Abyss appeared. Elegant and powerful like the leader she was, Lumine sat on the throne as you bowed your head to show your respect and reverence.

“Princess,” you smiled as you looked at the one you served. “I am currently protecting your brother however-”

“That is enough y/n,” Lumine interrupted you. “Return back here now.”

“W- what,” you stuttered, not understanding the current situation you were in.

“Do as I ordered and return here,” Lumine ordered.

“But Princess!” you cried wondering why there was a sudden change in order, “I need to protect your brother. Abyss mages attacked him. Why would your own servants hurt your own blood? There’s something going on and we need to figure it out.”

“Lector,” Lumine held out her hand. “Bring y/n back here.”

Waving her hand, the portal disappeared into dark particles as now it was just you and the lector left. Bringing out your claymore, you glared at the lector. Even though it was an order for you to return to the Abyss, you refused to follow it. The person earlier didn’t seem like the Lumine that you knew one bit. There was something more that was going on behind the scenes and you had a feeling that if you followed the orders, you wouldn’t be able to do anything.

Letting out a breath, you held up the heavy sword and swung it towards the lector. Reacting, the lector held out its hand to block your sword. Grabbing your sword, the lector threw you back as you hit the wall behind you. 

“Gah,” you coughed out from the powerful attack.

Using your sword like a cane, you lifted yourself up and ran towards the lector. Jumping up, you swung your sword downwards to the ground while simultaneously summoning hydro power to envelop it. Unable to react in time, the lector got hit and quickly backed away. After a short few seconds to recover the lector flew towards you with a flaming hand.

Holding up your sword, you prepared to greet its attack. In preparation to defend you moved your foot back to give you more support and grasped at your sword with more strength. However, before the lector could even reach you, a loud plunge blew dust towards you.

In front of you stood none other than Aether with his long braid dancing in the wind with a sword in hand. With his hand to add more support, he had stood up and glared at the lector before running to attack it. Working with him, you lifted up your blade and as soon as Aether had parried the lector, you ran in from the side and hit it with one more hydro attack.

Your opponent backed away as you ran forward to hit it with another hydro slash to weaken it. In unison, Aether appeared behind you and summoned a tornado causing a swirl effect and strengthening the wet status effect that was on it.

Knowing that it was outnumbered and that in the long run, it wouldn’t stand a chance, the lector quickly created a portal and immediately disappeared leaving you and Aether.

“Y/n, are you ok?” he asked as he walked to you.

“Yea,” you nodded, grateful for the help.

After staring at you a bit in suspicion, he turned his foot, “Let’s get going. You can explain everything to me as we go to Mondstadt.”

You couldn’t help but feel your heart drop as you heard a spark of a cold tone coming from him. Following him with a slight hesitation in your step, you accepted the situation that you were now stuck in.